Winter Love
by XxxPainbehindthesmilexxX
Summary: She was the mysterious third seat, always quiet and scarred by her shady past, and he was the infamous icy captain. Could he break down her walls and could she melt his icy heart?   Toshiro X OC  Rangiku X Izuru
1. Prologue: Kasumi Mizushima

Name:

Kasumi Mizushima

Race:

Shinigami

Birthday:

February 14

Gender:

Female

Height:

121.9 cm (4'0")

Weight:

22.7 kg. (fifty lbs)

Affiliation:

Gotei 13, Soul Society

division:

Tenth

Position:

Third Seat

Relatives:

Takashi Mizushima (father, Deceased)

Education:

Shino Academy

Zanpak-to:

Arashiohitan

Shikai:

Scream

Bankai:

Unknown

Personality:

Kasumi is a quiet, mysterious girl who is often forced to take care of her lieutenants paperwork, when said lieutenant goes off to drink and be with her nonofficial crush, Lieutenant Kira. Despite this the girl holds no ill will towards her lieutenant, and has come to accept the responsibilities that Rangiku ignores. She is loyal to the soul society and puts others before her self, as a result she'll fight for a complete stranger, especially if the stranger is defenseless. She has a strong set of morals, although they often conflict with the ways of others. Her potential is greater than she shows, although she lacks brute physical strength she posses quick reflexes, keen senses, incredible agility, and a rational mind that is her greatest weapon. She lacks confidence in her abilities and is extremely guarded when it comes to getting close to people, both a result of her shady past that still haunts her. She wants nothing more than to escape the chains of her past and be happy like every one else.

Likes:

Reading whatever is at hand, milk, gazing up at the sky, storms, and heights.

Dislikes:

Drunk Rangiku, spiders, and senseless violence.


	2. Chapter One: The Dream

Chapter one

_Swollen gray clouds blocked out any ray of sun leaving the barren plain black like midnight, thunder clashed throughout the bulging clouds. Lighting stroke yards away from where I stood leaving the barren plain flickering with the electric light. The angry howling wind whipped around me pelting me with the icy rain I looked there was no one on this barren plain I was alone, a feeling that made my heart ache. My feet lead me to shelter without my consent I wasn't thinking, that I knew I was confused and alone. And over hang made of rock provided the only shelter on this barren land._

"_Young one..." my head whipped around my black hair swirling around with the simple movement only to face a giant bird. Was it glowing?_

_I fell back skinning my hands on the rough ground I tried desperately to move away from the looming bird, lighting crashed down besides my left hand I let out a shriek and fell back yet again._

"_Don't be afraid, young one"_

"_Who are you"_

"_I am...-" the thunder crashed more and the wind howled I could not hear what his name. Before I could ask again his form started to twist and change into something more human...but the eyes the glowing eyes they were eerily familiar._

_XxxxxxxX_

I bolted up in my bed the sheets twisting around my leg, cold sweat trickling down my forehead before being caught in my brow. Panting slightly, I listened to the crashing of thunder and the loud strikes of lighting outside of my quarters, the window across from the bed was open like I had left it allowing the howling winds to blow the loose papers around.

The said papers being blown around was a problem. I had to give those to captain in the morning! Jumping from the bed whilst tripping on the sheets still entangled around my scrawny legs ,the hardwood floor met my face as I tumbled to the ground. Groaning, I pushed up and ran to the window, closing it tightly and sighing while looking out at the swollen gray clouds. It had been perfect out when I went to bed... and it wasn't a coincidence that I had that dream then when I woke up it was storming.

It had been happening more and more since I had achieved my bankai five years ago, mostly when I was upset. It was funny, Ukitake-san said because I didn't cry the sky was crying for me. I guess it made sense in a weird way, I controlled the storm because subconsciously I was enduring a storm of my own.

Sighing I gathered the fallen papers and set them on top of the small desk, looking at the clock I let out another groan. It was only five in the morning, I had tossed and turned until twelve leaving a total amount of five hours of sleep. Making my way towards my small bathroom-after making the quick decision that, based on how I felt after my dream, there was no possibility of me falling back to a blissful sleep.

Hot water burned down on my skin, yet I never noticed as it turned my porcelain skin red with the heat of the scorching water. I stood under the burning stream sighing, as steam filled the small bathroom, my thoughts wandering to dangerous places. Crushed dreams, my haunting past, and the echoes of feeling I had pushed away long ago.

Somewhere in the midst of my trailing thoughts and the burning heat of the streaming water the storm had stopped. The howling wind slowed to a gentle breeze, the dark clouds broke apart and dissipated, the crashing thunder, beating rain, and striking lightening had ceased. And left behind in it's wake was an eerie calm, that would certainly leave the shinigami-who had most likely awoke during the storm- curious how it just started and stopped without a warning.

When the water turned icy and a soft golden light shone through my window, I got out of the shower and pulled on my hakama and my tight fitting black tank top that I wore underneath my white shitagi and black kosode. Padding through my quarters with my feet bare, I quickly found what I was looking for. With slender fingers I pulled the two slim bottles from inside my cupboard, popping the lid off I plucked two slender capsules from inside each. One being a 'super vitamin' as Hanataro called it-for my weak immune system- and the other my vertigo [1] medication. It was weird sometimes I would wake up a forget that I even had these problems, and other times I would wake and my room would be spinning.

Sighing, I swallowed both dry before closing the bottles and setting them back inside the cabinet and grabbing the granola bar from the box next to it. It was a routine by now, I padded back into my room grabbing my shitagi and kosode. Shrugging into my robes, I fumbled around for my sash whilst finish off the granola bar. Making a satisfied 'humph' I pulled the sash around me tying it tightly and sliding my zanpak-to in it's place on my left hip. I checked the clock, I had enough time to drop off the stack of papers and make my way to my daily routine of having tea with Ukitake-san, Shunsui-san, and Head captain.

Quickly pulling on my tabi and waraji, I tugged the stack of paper work from it's resting spot on my desk, and quickly made an exit. It was another routine, being the third seat in division ten meant one thing for sure, I always got stuck with Matsumoto-san's paperwork. By now I had gotten used to it, and accepted the fact that my lieutenant was a lazy alcoholic bum-who may or may not have a thing for Kira-san. A smirk played at the corners of my lips, no matter how many times Hinamori-san pestered the busty blonde about her rumored crush, the woman never cracked.

I continued running down the halls like I did every morning, and like every morning my footsteps were swift and calculated, never making a sound. I think it had something to do with the fact that I'm so small that I could adjust to make my footsteps silent. A trait that bothered people a lot, because they could never hear me coming. Though in a way I suppose it fit, I was known for my silence as well as my mysteriousness.

Dodging the occasional wandering shinigami I approached the tenth division office, slipping in silently I left the stack on _his_ desk. Toshiro Hitsugaya. My captain, I suppose it boosted his ego a bit when he met me, discovering there was some one moderately close to his age that was smaller than him. Unfortunately for me that meant a lot more pestering from Matsumoto-san, if she wasn't trying to get me to talk she was commenting on my height and size.

I stood at a laughable size of four feet flat, four inches smaller than my icy captain, and I weighed at an average of fifty pounds flat, twelve pounds lighter than my icy captain. I had always been small and scrawny, though that didn't mean I wasn't evidently a matured girl. I had curves though they were hidden beneath my uniform, and I had a chest, though it it wasn't nearly as large as Matsumoto-san's, it was still evident once u got rid of these unfaltering robes.

I made my way towards the door, passing a mirror Matsumoto-san had put up to 'make sure she looked one hundred and ten percent' ever time she walked out of the door. I do suppose we were very different, me and her, I never cared about looks much-this evident in my appearance. My long waist length onyx hair was tied loosely back, every time I made a subtle movement it would sway lightly, my snow white skin was unblemished and cosmetics free. My long choppy bangs fell over my forehead into my blue-gray eyes, and framing my small face were two onyx strands that ended at my mid neck. My soft pink lips were almost always pulled into a straight uninterested look.

I pulled my attention away from my reflection, and slid out the door once again, heading towards the first division. Before I had been transferred to the tenth division I had been the third seat in the first division, something that didn't please some shinigami. It was a well known fact that I was close to Ukitake-san and his closets friend Shunsui-san, but it was also well known that I was close to the head captain. And many thought the reason behind me being the third seat of his division straight out of the academy was a result of this relationship.

The theory was rather humorous, though I suppose it wasn't their fault, I had never been one to show my full potential. Truth was I did deserve a higher position than a third seat-a fact that the head captain was well aware of- I just refused any offers. Most didn't even know I had accomplished my bankai, and a select few new about my shikai. So to those that had no idea what I was really capable of, it would certainly look like a case of favoritism, though I highly doubted that the head captain was capable of such a thing.

I was pulled from my thoughts when I came upon the first division doors, I slid in knowing exactly where I was heading. And sure enough Ukitake-san was sitting besides Shunsui-san, both smiling at me when I entered the room. And across form them sat Head captain the space beside him left empty, until I came to claim it. I bowed in greeting and apology for being a bit late.

"Sorry I'm a bit late, I had to deliver a stack of paperwork to Captain Hitsugaya" my voice was soft and with in it there was a hint of timidness. It was true I remained silent the majority of the time but there were rare occasions when I spoke up.

"It's fine Kasumi-chan!" Shunsui wide smile stretched to an nearly impossible length, he was definitely a strange man. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the lazy man and took my seat next to Head captain, as Chojiro-san began pouring tea. Ukitake-san and Shunsui-san supplied most of the small talk, while head captain would speak up some times and I rarely spoke up.

"Kasumi about the storm earlier...it seemed to come out of nowhere...i can't help but to wonder if it was subconsciously caused by you?"

The daily tea routine was coming to an end when Ukitake-san brought up this question, something I rather not talk about. But sadly once he said it, the head captain's interest was spark to, I didn't see why it was necessary all three already knew. I twisted slightly uncomfortable with this, I wasn't ever comfortable talking about my feelings and the storm was proof that something was bothering me.

"...It was an accident" I muttered looking out the window, at a sight that bemused me slightly. There stood the small white haired captain who was clearly angered and yelling at the busty lieutenant in from of him; who was shrinking back slightly. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips, as I continued to watch the scene unfolding a little ways away from the room where I currently was.

My attention returned to the three at the sound of sighing and porcelain clinking down upon a wooden table. In an instant the atmosphere in the room had change from light hearted to serious, and I twitched uncomfortable in the suddenly heavy air. Ukitake-san opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he saw the silent plea for him to be quiet flash in my in my blue-gray orbs.

"I understand and appreciate your concern, but I am fine. I'm just having trouble figuring out this part of my zanpak-to. I'd hate to be rude, but I think my captain is looking for me." The words from my lips quietly and calmly, my eyes motioned toward the window again. Where said captain along with his free spirited lieutenant by his side, clearly trying to find me.

I stood and bowed to the three men in the room before turning and leaving them slightly astonished. They knew well enough I did not like to be questioned about my problems, they were and would stay my own problems, I wouldn't burden others with them. As idiotic as it may have sounded to others, this one of my many 'morals'-my way of life I suppose- and I had made the promise to myself long before now that I would never become a burden to anyone. Not again at least.

"OI! There you are Sumi-chan~! Captain I found her!" I cringed slightly at the nickname and also thanked Rangiku mentally for dragging me away from my near disastrous thoughts; or at least they would have been if they had gone on.

"I can see that Rangiku, after all I'm right besides you." He retorted coolly.

Toshiro Hitsugaya my cold, stern, serious captain. Who hated anything he deemed as childish a complete contradiction to his size. And Rangiku Matsumoto my free spirited, moderately lazy, scatter brained Lieutenant. Who showed no remorse in using her body to get what she wanted-i swear the busty woman had no shame. And just like every time he got annoyed with her, they bickered,while I followed behind the -towards the tenth division barracks- as quiet as ever before. Whilst thinking the same thing I did when the day started with bickering.

This was going to be a long...long day.

XxxxxxxX

{Authors note}

[1] Vertigo is the feeling that you or your environment is moving or spinning. I just thought I put it there so no one got mislead and thought she was dying or something...anyways I will explain more about that and her past through out the story.

Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it!

Please Review!

~XxxPainbehindthesmilexxX


	3. Chapter Two: The Burn

Chapter two

Scratch, scratch,snore, pause. Scratch, scratch,snore, pause. Scratch, scratch,snore, pause, sigh. I watched amusement playing in my eyes and at the corners of my soft pink lips a smile was forming it self at the sight in front of me.

Matsumoto-san had crashed on the couch once again, and like most times -though she denied she did- she snored and rather loudly too. Hitsugaya-san sat at his desk doing paper work, but he was having a rather hard time concentrating. Every time he began writing again her snore would pull him from his thoughts. It was rather comical, but I felt pity for my captain as he sighed and leveled a glare with the sleeping lieutenant.

Silently I stood from were my usual spot behind Matsumoto-san's desk and walked silently towards the sleeping woman. Sighing, I crouched in front of her, closing her mouth with one hand and with the other pinching her nose closed. I looked towards the clock and waited...three...two...one. Matsumoto-san shot up as my hands withdrew themselves from stopping her ability to breath, she gasped as she tried to regain the air she had lost. Behind his desk, Hitsugaya-san watched with amusement playing in his teal eyes.

"KASUMI! DON'T DO THAT!" Matsumoto-san cried, I merely blinked back at her and pointed towards the large stack of paperwork. And like I expected by the time I blinked again she had disappeared to where ever it is she goes when she avoids her work.

Returning to my spot behind the said large stack of paper work, I could feel eyes boring into me as I continued with what I had been doing before the interruption. A specific set of eyes though, these belonging to my icy captain, and the gaze was the strangest mix of questioning and the usual iciness. I understood the question in those teal depths, a mere question of why.

"You were annoyed" It was the first time I had spoken today, well at least to him, true I didn't speak much I found that actions spoke louder than words and rarely bothered to strike up whole conversations with people.

"That still doesn't explain why you woke her then sent her running off"

I arched an eyebrow at this with a smirk tugging at the corners of my lips, I hadn't expected him to respond to my question. It would seem even Toshiro Hitsugaya was full of surprises. Looking back at the paperwork I responded to his inquiry, whilst working at the task at hand.

"Well, if I hadn't we would get behind in the paperwork, meaning we would -in vain- wake her and tell her to help and she would in return run off anyways. So in other words I just sped up the process a bit."

That was the end of our conversation, neither of us were much for conversation any way. Though, I more than he, I spoke when I needed and he spoke more often than that, a large percentage of that was when he was angered at Matsumoto-san.

_'And how you would love to have him all figured out like you do everyone else'_

Inwardly twitching at Arashi's comment, the zanpak-to spirit did know me well, and he also knew that I had almost everyone figured out thanks to my analytical skills. But the contradiction to my analytical skills sat before me, my captain, as much as I didn't like to admit it, I couldn't figure him out. Unlike a lot of people he wasn't an open book, most of the time I could figure out what was the most likely course of action somebody would take. Yet, every time I tried to do the same with my captain I drew up a blank, I couldn't figure out what he would do.

I had a theory that it was because he was much like myself. Guarded. I had the same problem with Captain Kuchiki, though he was different, it was because he was mostly emotionless that I had a hard time reading him. And that's what bothered me, the fact I couldn't figure Hitsugaya-san out, and Arashi just loved to point that out.

Pushing my thoughts away I began to concentrate on the papers in front of me, skimming over them then signing in the necessary places. And so I began my daily routine, I really needed to do something about my life because it was really beginning to get rather predictable. Then again I didn't really have much time for change anymore, since I got transferred to the tenth division my life has been busy and though I won't admit it to my lieutenant or my captain, it had gotten a lot more...fun.

I must have zoned out while doing the paperwork because the next thing I know I'm finished and Matsumoto-san is bursting through the door. Funny how the second her paperwork is finished she comes through the door, suspicious; yes, a coincidence; possibly.

"MATSUMOTO! YOU JUST BROKE THE DOOR!-" That's as far as I got before I tuned out the yelling and stood from my spot. The bad thing was that my legs had fallen asleep, so while Hitsugaya-san was yelling at Matsumoto-san, I was stretching my legs trying to regain feeling.

"But captain I don't know how to fix a door- what are you doing Sumi-chan?" Matsumoto-san stopped in the middle of her sentence causing the attention to shift towards myself. As I stood shifting from foot to foot, an annoyed look on my face as I glared down at my feet.

"My legs fell asleep while I was doing your paperwork" She smiled sheepishly at me as I hissed the your at her, as our captain watched a mix of irritation and amusement in his eyes. His emotions were certainly strange.

"Oi! You look so cute though Sumi-chan!" As I expected, I was then glomped in a suffocating,rib crushing hug and all the while being smothered by her oversized bust. Though I cannot say which is sadder the fact that I was so used to this I didn't even react to it anymore, I just stood arms crossed awaiting for Hitsugaya-san to command her to stop, or the fact that she never once noticed me turning blue in her deathly grip.

"Rangiku, she's turning blue again" Suddenly my lungs had access to the oxygen surrounding me again and I gave a 'thank you' look towards my captain, as Matsumoto-san blabbered on about how she was sorry and that I was just 'too cute.'

"Yes, yes, I get it, I'm small. Now what was so important you had to break down the door"

"Right, there's a hollow in the rukongai and the head captain said that we should take care of it!"

'Shouldn't she have said this before?' I noticed Hitsugaya-san slowly turning red with anger, I sighed walking around Matsumoto-san, shaking my head at him and grabbing his wrist then Matsumoto-san's, tugging both of them towards the door. Thank heavens, they didn't put up a fight because I certainly could not drag them out myself.

As much as I hate to admit it, I wasn't very strong, and as much as I tried to get stronger it never really worked for me. If my pride wasn't so high I would ask for the help of my captain, because after a while I deduced it was my scrawny size that inhibited me from building strength. He was after all not much bigger than me, though he did appear more muscular than I did, my limbs were scrawny as well as the rest of my body. Yet, I couldn't bring myself to burden him-or any one else for that matter-with my own personal problems, I had made this promise to myself a long time ago and I wasn't about to break it.

"Uh Sumi-chan you can let go of our wrists now" I jumped slightly, retracting my fingers from around there wrist and gave them each and apologetic look. They both understood from what I could read in there eyes and then the mood shifted to a more serious atmosphere. Thanks to captain yelling at Matsumoto-san for a few minutes about being serious and what-not.

As soon as we were able to locate the spiritual pressure of the hollow, we began to flash step towards it's location. I followed slightly behind Hitsugaya-san, though I knew I was at least as fast as him when he was actually trying I stayed behind him, and Matsumoto-san followed behind us being her usual lazy self.

Coming upon the hollow shortly after my captain, I barely dodged a hit from it's long swinging arm. It was a lower class hollow, easily able to be defeated, it was just the arms you had to be wary of, they were long and it used them to swing them around with crushing force.

Drawing my sword from it's place on right hip, I took a fighting stance as Matsumoto-san appeared and did the same. Our captain was quicker and had already drawn his sword, taking the offensive to attack it as we remained on the defensive watching in case he was in need of our help. One arm came up to swing towards Hitsugaya-san, but I was quick to react flash stepping I swung my sword down taking the arm off and landing a few feet away, parallel to were I had been before and were Matsumoto-san remained.

I blinked as the arm started reforming, Matsumoto-san dodged as the other arm came swing around now towards me, I jumped back but it was to late. The hand clipped my forearm sending me skidding back and a burning sensation through my arm. The distraction was enough for Hitsugaya-san though, he brought his sword down on the large mask and it gave way as the hollow roared before disappearing.

I hissed under my breath and gritted my teeth together, of course to my luck the hollow would be capable of acid touch, and the red burn mark on my forearm was a lovely little reminder of my own misfortune. Sheathing my sword, I stood slightly cradling the arm against my side as Matsumoto-san took notice of the mark.

"Oi! Sumi-chan you okay?" Matsomoto-san's exclaimed question drew the attention of Hitsugaya-san, who along with her flashed stepped to stand in front of me in a blink of an eye.

"I'm fine, of course, this is just my luck-" I hissed again as I felt my wrist being tugged forward gingerly by warm hands. I looked to see my captain, something flashing in his eyes that I didn't recognize before being covered up by his usual stern,icy calm. I blinked up at him- though it was different than most he did not tower over me that much- confusion playing in my eyes.

Pulling a roll of bandages and a tube of some kind of cream from his robe he handed the bandages to Matsumoto-san for her to hold. Then he gently tugged the fabric of my sleeve up to reveal the rest of the burn, Matsumoto-san giving me a sympathetic look mixed with worry.

"This will sting" This was all he said before lightly applying the cream to the burn as I cringed slightly but stayed still. He then began wrapping the bandages around my arm, again gently which surprised me I had no idea he could be so gentle, and though I despised the show of emotion, I blushed at his gentleness. When he was done he let go and put the remaining first aid supplies back in his robes,part of me wondered why he carried it and the other part of me rationalized why he did, he was a captain and did need to be prepared.

"Thank you,captain" This earned me two surprised looks as I turned my head to the side averting their gaze, in order for the two not to discover the slight blush that dusted my cheeks. I understood the meaning behind the looks, I rarely voiced my appreciation, I just gave appreciative looks that were understood. Saying thank you was rare for me, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Matsumoto-san smile a mischievous smile that would make even Arashi shiver in fear of finding out what that smile meant.

Something told me I would discover the meaning of that smile and as much as I would never want to admit it, I found myself curious to find out what it meant.

{Authors note}

Whew, this one took me awhile, thanks to all the work from school...which reminds me I should really do my calculus homework!

Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it!

Please Review!

~XxxPainbehindthesmilexxX


	4. Important notice!

Hello everyone,

I'm afraid to say that my computer has crashed, and I don't have enough money at the moment to get it fixed. I won't be able to update as frequently as I would like to, I don't have access to any computer's excepts for my friends and the libraries (which I learned librarians don't like it very much if you sit and type a story for hours on end.) So I apologize and I will try and update as much as I can!

goodbye for now,

XxxPainbehindthesmilexxX


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